TRETINOIN EMOLLIENT CREAM FOR PHOTODAMAGED SKIN - RESULTS OF 48-WEEK,MULTICENTER, DOUBLE-BLIND STUDIES

Background: The ability of topical tretinoin to improve certain signs of skin photodamage has been shown previously. Objective: Our purpose was to assess the effectiveness of tretinoin emollient cream in mainta ining or further improving photodamaged skin during extended use. Meth ods: Photodamaged subjects who completed 24 weeks of once-daily use of tretinoin emollient cream 0.05% (n = 149) or 0.01% (n = 149) continue d to use the same strength formulation in a 24-week double-blind exten sion. Results: Maintenance of improvement or continued reduction in si gns of photodamage was noted in both investigators' and subjects' eval uations of the 0.05% and 0.01% preparations; these results were confir med by skin replica analyses. Cutaneous side effects were less common during the extension study than during the first 24 weeks of therapy. Conclusion: Both strengths of tretinoin emollient cream (0.05% and 0.0 1%) appeared safe and effective in the treatment of photodamaged skin during a 48-week treatment period.